You found the perfect recipe online. But it’s written for a regular oven, not your air fryer. Can you still make it?
Yes. You just need to adjust two things: temperature and time.
Here’s the simple formula that works for almost any recipe.
The Basic Conversion Rule
Take any oven recipe and make these changes:
Reduce temperature by 25°F
If the recipe says bake at 400°F in the oven, set your air fryer to 375°F.
Reduce cooking time by 20%
If the recipe says bake for 20 minutes, check your food at 16 minutes in the air fryer.
This rule works for most recipes. Air fryers cook faster and hotter than ovens because hot air circulates more intensely in the small space.
Sources:
- Easy-to-Use Air Fryer Conversion Chart, Everyday Family Cooking, April 24, 2024, https://www.everydayfamilycooking.com/air-fryer-conversion-chart-calculator/
- Easy Oven to Air Fryer Conversion Guide, The Foodie Physician, November 13, 2024, https://thefoodiephysician.com/easy-oven-to-air-fryer-conversion-guide/
Why This Works
Air fryers are compact convection ovens. The heating element sits close to the food. The fan pushes hot air around at high speed. This concentrated, fast-moving heat cooks food quicker than a full-sized oven.
If you use oven temperatures and times without adjusting, your food will overcook or burn. The outside will be too dark before the inside finishes cooking.
Lowering the temperature prevents burning. Reducing the time prevents overcooking. Together, these adjustments give you results similar to what the recipe intended.
Sources:
- Easy Oven to Air Fryer Conversion Guide, The Foodie Physician, November 13, 2024, https://thefoodiephysician.com/easy-oven-to-air-fryer-conversion-guide/
Step-by-Step Conversion Process
Here’s how to convert any recipe:
Step 1: Find the oven temperature
Look at the recipe. Find the baking temperature. Let’s say it’s 350°F.
Step 2: Subtract 25°F
Take that oven temperature and subtract 25 degrees. 350°F – 25°F = 325°F
Set your air fryer to 325°F.
Step 3: Find the oven cooking time
The recipe might say “bake for 30 minutes.” That’s your starting point.
Step 4: Calculate 20% reduction
Multiply the oven time by 0.8 (which is the same as reducing by 20%). 30 minutes × 0.8 = 24 minutes
Start checking your food at 24 minutes.
Step 5: Check early and adjust
Always check a few minutes before your calculated time. Air fryers vary by model. Your specific air fryer might cook faster or slower. Start checking at 22 minutes to be safe.
If food needs more time, add 2-3 minutes and check again.
Sources:
- Easy-to-Use Air Fryer Conversion Chart, Everyday Family Cooking, April 24, 2024, https://www.everydayfamilycooking.com/air-fryer-conversion-chart-calculator/
- Air Fryer Conversion Calculator, Air Frying Foodie, January 26, 2025, https://airfryingfoodie.com/air-fryer-conversion-calculator/
Conversion Examples
Let’s look at real examples:
Example 1: Baked chicken breasts
- Oven recipe: 425°F for 25 minutes
- Air fryer: 400°F for 20 minutes
- Calculation: 425 – 25 = 400, and 25 × 0.8 = 20
Example 2: Roasted vegetables
- Oven recipe: 400°F for 30 minutes
- Air fryer: 375°F for 24 minutes
- Calculation: 400 – 25 = 375, and 30 × 0.8 = 24
Example 3: Frozen french fries
- Package says oven: 450°F for 20 minutes
- Air fryer: 425°F for 16 minutes
- Calculation: 450 – 25 = 425, and 20 × 0.8 = 16
Sources:
- This Chart Shows You the Air-Fryer Cooking Times for Your Favorite Foods, Taste of Home, March 31, 2025, https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/air-fryer-cooking-times/
When to Adjust Even More
The basic formula works most of the time. But some situations need extra adjustment:
For very high temperatures: If the oven recipe calls for 475°F or 500°F, you might reduce by 50°F instead of 25°F. Most air fryers max out around 400°F anyway. Set yours to the highest setting and watch your food closely.
For very short cook times: If something cooks in the oven for 5 minutes, reducing by 20% gives you 4 minutes. That’s barely any difference. For very short times, just reduce by 1 minute and check frequently.
For very long cook times: Anything over 40 minutes in the oven might not need the full 20% reduction. Try reducing by only 10-15% for longer cooks. The air fryer heats up during cooking, so ultra-long recipes don’t benefit as much from the speed advantage.
Sources:
- Easy oven to air fryer conversion guide, Drizzle and Dip, August 16, 2024, https://drizzleanddip.com/2023/03/15/easy-oven-to-air-fryer-conversion-guide/
Converting Deep Fryer Recipes
What about recipes meant for deep frying in oil?
Use the same 25°F reduction rule. Most deep fryer recipes call for 350-375°F oil. Reduce by 25°F and cook for about the same time, or slightly longer.
Deep frying to air frying:
- Deep fryer: 350°F
- Air fryer: 325°F
- Time: Same as deep frying, or add 1-2 minutes
The cook time stays similar because both methods use high heat. But check your food halfway through and flip if needed.
Spray your food lightly with oil before air frying. This helps recreate the crispy texture of deep frying.
Sources:
- Easy-to-Use Air Fryer Conversion Chart, Everyday Family Cooking, April 24, 2024, https://www.everydayfamilycooking.com/air-fryer-conversion-chart-calculator/
- Easy Oven to Air Fryer Conversion Guide, The Foodie Physician, November 13, 2024, https://thefoodiephysician.com/easy-oven-to-air-fryer-conversion-guide/
Frozen Foods From the Package
Many frozen foods only list oven or deep fryer instructions on the package. No air fryer directions.
Use the conversion formula on the oven instructions. Reduce temperature by 25°F and time by 20%.
For frozen items that are already breaded or coated (like chicken nuggets or fries), they often don’t need any added oil. They have oil from manufacturing.
Sources:
- Easy Oven to Air Fryer Conversion Guide, The Foodie Physician, November 13, 2024, https://thefoodiephysician.com/easy-oven-to-air-fryer-conversion-guide/
Things That Don’t Convert Well
Most recipes work fine in an air fryer with these adjustments. But some don’t translate:
Wet batters: Thin, liquid batters drip through the basket. The batter needs to be thick or you need to modify it.
Very large items: A recipe for a 5-pound roast won’t fit in most air fryers. Size matters.
Multiple items at once: An oven recipe that bakes three sheet pans of cookies at once won’t work. Air fryers have less capacity. You’ll cook in batches.
Dishes needing specific pans: If a recipe requires a specific large casserole dish that won’t fit in your air fryer, you’ll need to find a smaller pan or skip the recipe.
For everything else, the conversion formula works great.
Sources:
- Air Fryer Conversion, Delish, March 16, 2021, https://www.delish.com/kitchen-tools/cookware-reviews/a35686392/air-fryer-conversion/
Quick Conversion Tips
Always check early: Set a timer for a few minutes before your calculated time. You can always add more time. You can’t uncook burnt food.
Use a meat thermometer: For chicken, pork, and other meats, use a thermometer. Chicken needs 165°F internal temperature. Pork needs 145°F. Don’t guess.
Write down your results: When you successfully convert a recipe, write down what worked. Next time you make it, you’ll know exact times for your air fryer.
Preheat when the original recipe calls for it: If the oven recipe says “preheat oven to 400°F,” preheat your air fryer too.
Don’t overcrowd: Oven recipes might spread food across a large pan. In your air fryer, use the single-layer rule. Cook in batches if needed.
Sources:
- Air Fryer Conversion Calculator, Air Frying Foodie, January 26, 2025, https://airfryingfoodie.com/air-fryer-conversion-calculator/
- This Chart Shows You the Air-Fryer Cooking Times for Your Favorite Foods, Taste of Home, March 31, 2025, https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/air-fryer-cooking-times/
Temperature Must Stay Above 350°F
Here’s something to remember: for crispy results, keep your air fryer at 350°F or higher.
If your conversion calculation gives you a temperature below 350°F, you might not get the crispy texture air fryers are known for. The food will cook, but it won’t have that fried quality.
For recipes requiring lower temperatures, consider whether the air fryer is the right tool. Some gentle-cooking recipes work better in a regular oven.
Sources:
- Easy-to-Use Air Fryer Conversion Chart, Everyday Family Cooking, April 24, 2024, https://www.everydayfamilycooking.com/air-fryer-conversion-chart-calculator/
Practice Makes Perfect
Your first few conversions might need tweaking. That’s normal. Every air fryer model cooks slightly differently. Your 6-quart Ninja might cook faster than your friend’s 4-quart Philips.
After you convert and cook a few recipes, you’ll get a feel for how your specific model performs. You’ll learn whether your air fryer runs hot or cool. You’ll figure out if you need to add or subtract a minute or two from the formula.
Keep experimenting. The more you convert recipes, the better you’ll get at estimating times and temperatures.
Next steps: Now that you can convert recipes, you need to know which oil to use. The next post covers the best oils for air frying and which ones to avoid.